How to slow down the 80 from rocking so much while wheeling - body control

[baldilocks]

The manufactures stating 440lbs constant load, or whatever, is useless information because it leaves us unable to make calculations which in turn has us changing springs out which makes them more money. Most of us run a rear bumper that weighs half of that 440 then we hang a tire, Jerry cans, etc on it. By the time the bumper is installed and loaded it alone will weigh 400lbs or more and being as far as it is behind the axle it has great leverage on the springs. And then we load our cargo.

You said that your slee springs were not holding their height? Mine are ten years old (got them used five years ago) and still good to go. If they were not, I’d buy a new set. I’ve experimented with ome 863, ome comps, Dobinson tapered and the Slee heavies. Perhaps Dobinson makes a single rate spring that is on par with the Slee’s.

 

[JCS2179]

From the sounds of it, your "brisk"pace may have been the biggest contributing factor.

Yeeeeeeah, I agree!
SIGNED: Super noob guy driving the Rubi Recon behind you

 

[leonard_nemoy]

I'm thinking that when the front axle moves up/down, the job of the sway bar is to move the body along with it, no?

I always thought a sway bar was to help prevent rollovers by minimizing the body from swaying left or right, especially when going fast through turns. Hence the name sway bar....

But I am also no expert on suspension.

Goodluck and don't forget the yoga

 

[alia176]

The manufactures stating 440lbs constant load, or whatever, is useless information because it leaves us unable to make calculations which in turn has us changing springs out which makes them more money. Most of us run a rear bumper that weighs half of that 440 then we hang a tire, Jerry cans, etc on it. By the time the bumper is installed and loaded it alone will weigh 400lbs or more and being as far as it is behind the axle it has great leverage on the springs. And then we load our cargo.

You said that your slee springs were not holding their height? Mine are ten years old (got them used five years ago) and still good to go. If they were not, I’d buy a new set. I’ve experimented with ome 863, ome comps, Dobinson tapered and the Slee heavies. Perhaps Dobinson makes a single rate spring that is on par with the Slee’s.

Hence my request for someone to meas their Slee heavy rear spring diam and # of coils and I'll do the same for my Dobinson 3" heavies. It's hard to be objective w/o data, as we all know.

I always thought a sway bar was to help prevent rollovers by minimizing the body from swaying left or right, especially when going fast through turns. Hence the name sway bar....

But I am also no expert on suspension.

Goodluck and don't forget the yoga

I believe your sway bar explanation is correct but I wanted to add that the bar is great for on road performance by slowing down the body from leaning. So, when you go around a bend on a hwy, your body wants to lean over but the sway bar slows that down or tries to prevent it to some degree. This is great for on road curves.

But, when your wheel suddenly drops into a depression while offroading, the body follows it and it's the job of the shocks to slow down that rate. By disconnecting the front sway bar, the body doesn't follow that wheel down as quickly.

This is why JK/TJ/YJ/CJ Jeeps HAVE to disconnect their front sway bars also because the occupants gets the s*** beat out of them! The newb behind me couldn't do this while going over 18mph due to the auto disconnect logic so that really beat them up and had to slow down. I'm sure he'll be getting a set of discos for the front sway bar before the next outing.

Speaking of Yoga, this was the BEST place I've ever done Yoga at!!

Dollhouse #1

 

[Bludozer]

There are no suspension adjustments you can make that will even come close to the effect of just taking off your RTT. I know no one wants to hear it, but this is the reality. I'm sure you can make some slight improvements going down the multi-thousand dollar experimental rabbit hole, but imo you'd be a lot better off just moving to a trailer or a quality ground tent. I fully get the appeal of the RTT, and may own one myself someday, but it does come with some significant trade-offs. If your priority is to slow down the rocking while wheeling, this is a simple fix.

 

[alia176]

There is a LOT of truth to your post but I'm going to learn this more and make an informed decision.

I will never slow down, just not in my nature . I have another rig that tows an off-road camper and I haul the mail with that setup too. I demand a certain level of performance that's commensurate with my wallet size

 

[leonard_nemoy]

Haha, I second losing the roof too tent. I don't know how anyone could get dressed in one of those things... Unless of course they are a yoga master

 

[Rwhat]

Ok could be wrong, but Slee’s spring rates are similar to OME competition coils.

 

[alia176]

Haha, I second losing the roof too tent. I don't know how anyone could get dressed in one of those things... Unless of course they are a yoga master

I tell people RTTs are good for two things - fornicating and sleeping.

 

[baldilocks]

The Slee 4” heavy progressive spring has 10 turns of 22mm thick wire.

 

[alia176]

The Slee 4” heavy progressive spring has 10 turns of 22mm thick wire.

Heavy AND progressive? Thought they are linear?

Thx for the numbers. I'll measure mine mine when I get home.

 

[baldilocks]

Heavy AND progressive? Thought they are linear?

Thx for the numbers. I'll measure mine mine when I get home.

The top three turns are very close together and that’s why they call them progressive. It’s like a Flexi Dobinson but more HD. This keeps them from riding harshly when the rig is unloaded yet poses a high load carrying capacity.

 

[ATXnative]

I have the same wallowing on the same shocks as OP. I am no overloaded at all,, in fact way under the limit (only an arb and winch up front, minimal gear,, no rear bumper) My understanding from a lot of reading and watching car videos and being a complete amateur is that the rebound is too soft. Compression being soft is fine for my type of driving (and sounds like OP's too), but the rebound needs to be higher and hence I would need something like BP51s. Currently saving...

 

[surfpig]

There is a LOT of truth to your post but I'm going to learn this more and make an informed decision.

I will never slow down, just not in my nature . I have another rig that tows an off-road camper and I haul the mail with that setup too. I demand a certain level of performance that's commensurate with my wallet size

Heaven help the poor schlup you head-on in a blind curve on the trail.

you have two diametrically opposed goals here...

 

[alia176]

Heaven help the poor schlup you head-on in a blind curve on the trail.

Yeah, my self preservation needs are quite strong. I'm not doing Baja racing my man

 

[alia176]

I have the same wallowing on the same shocks as OP. I am no overloaded at all,, in fact way under the limit (only an arb and winch up front, minimal gear,, no rear bumper) My understanding from a lot of reading and watching car videos and being a complete amateur is that the rebound is too soft. Compression being soft is fine for my type of driving (and sounds like OP's too), but the rebound needs to be higher and hence I would need something like BP51s. Currently saving...

Wow no way! Yeah, the rebound is too soft and the compressor seems ok.

Do BP51 come in a 3" lift and what made you pick those particular shocks?

 

[surfpig]

Yeah, my self preservation needs are quite strong. I'm not doing Baja racing my man

You “want to go fast”. What about the other guy?

Or your friend who “couldn’t keep up”.

 

[surfpig]

The first six words of your thread title has the answer to your question...

 

[on the rocks]

My money is on the shocks. Unfortunately, I have yet to get out on the MRR's. but have high hopes and why I went with them. Coming from a MX background a bad fork/ shock setup can ruin you day, same should apply here.
Hit a couple long trails last year in the 80 and it was the same terrible outcome, beat the heck out of us. After pulling to old OME shocks and able to adjust them easily by hand is a good indication as to why.
Low speed compression setting sounds like your friend.

Monotube Remote Reservoir - Adjustable (MRR)

Experts in Springs & Suspension (est.1953), find all your 4x4 suspension and accessory gear in one place, Dobinsons Spring & Suspension.

www.dobinsonsprings.com

 

[baldilocks]

My money is on the shocks. Unfortunately, I have yet to get out on the MRR's. but have high hopes and why I went with them. Coming from a MX background a bad fork/ shock setup can ruin you day, same should apply here.
Hit a couple long trails last year in the 80 and it was the same terrible outcome, beat the heck out of us. After pulling to old OME shocks and able to adjust them easily by hand is a good indication as to why.
Low speed compression setting sounds like your friend.

Monotube Remote Reservoir - Adjustable (MRR)

Experts in Springs & Suspension (est.1953), find all your 4x4 suspension and accessory gear in one place, Dobinsons Spring & Suspension.

www.dobinsonsprings.com

From my recollection, the MRR shocks are for lifts in the 3” range and not for someone who runs 5 - 6” of lift.